Village shakes up hamburger chain

March 09, 2006|By Pat Harper.

Frankfort could soon add a Steak 'n Shake to its growing collection of restaurants, but only if the restaurant chain's parent corporation agrees to a little more tweaking of its standard building design.

The facade of the Steak 'n Shake building slated for the Hickory Creek Marketplace on La Grange Road would be earth-toned brick instead of the usual white, and the design was altered to "mimic some of the architecture" in the center's other shops, according to Matthew Anderson, who worked on the planning.

John Reller, a real estate manager for the restaurant chain, said the corporation has been willing to modify its look "to get a building that Frankfort will be happy with."

But corporate higher-ups balked at a major change in the restaurant's trademark black-and-white striped awning, he said, although the look will be softened. The awning would be canvas rather than vinyl.

But trustees made approval conditional on one more change--black and stone-colored stripes that would match the building materials more closely

Trustee Todd Morgan, who voted no, said corporations aren't the only organizations that need to maintain their identity.